Stick To Your Guns - True View

Over the last few years, Stick To Your Guns have risen to the very top of the hardcore scene and are widely regarded as one of the best bands within it. Don't get me wrong, they've always been good. But the release of 2010's The Hope Division gained a lot of peoples attention. And then to follow that up with Diamond in 2012? They'd started to ride a wave, and they've been riding that wave ever since. Recently, the released their new record True View. Seeing as I'm going to see them on tour in a few weeks time, I thought it might be wise to check out the new songs ahead of the gig. Part because I like the band and I want to, part because their set is most likely full of new'uns and I don't want to look like an absolute wet wipe that doesn't know any of it.

Stick To Your Guns have this ability to take you on a journey through their records, both lyrically and musically. True View is no exception. It's full of hard and heavy tracks like The Sun, The Moon, The Truth: "Penance Of Self" raging through a collection of dark melodies and pit hungry riffs, setting the bar high for the rest of the album. Single Married To The Noise continues the heavy feel, especially in the verses, but progresses into a mammoth of a chorus that shows off vocalist Jesse Barnett's pipes. Cave Canem is crammed full of dirty and bouncy riffs, and a breakdown with the ability to fold anyone nearby in half. The Better Days Before Me is one of the thrashier sounding songs on the record, and contains both shades of light and dark. Lyrically it focuses on looking back at the past and taking lessons and positives from it to help mould yourself a better now, and the ending section of this song is really powerful due to the weight behind their delivery.

There are some slower and softer songs that provide a bit of relief and pace change, too. 56 is noticeably softer from the off, and immediately changes the vibe of the record. In a good way, of course. It feels like a pop song with more aggressive instruments, complete with an infectious chorus and verse melody that's slathered an upbeat and positive feeling soundtrack. Album closer The Reach For Me: Forgiveness Of Self comes as a welcome surprise too, and is probably the most commercial sounding track on the record. It reminds me of some of the tracks on the most recent Thrice album which is partly due to the similarity between Barnett and Dustin Kensrue's (Thrice vocalist) voices, but also because of how the song has been structured. It doesn't sound like the Stick To Your Guns that we know, but doesn't sound like a completely different band. It shows musical progression and that they're exploring their sound, which I fully back and support. The track is a mellow and slightly sombre end to the album, closing with the lyrics "And if I can't forgive myself for the pain I've caused, it'll always haunt me. I'm so sorry". A powerful end to an impressive album.

I'll be honest; at first I didn't like this record. Not to say I hated it, I just struggled to get into it at first. Diamond and Disobedient were near perfect, and I remember being hooked after the first listen. This record didn't hit me like that. After spinning it a few more times though, it grew on me, and I'm confident in saying that this is a killer record. They've completely followed the suit of their back catalogue and ensured that there isn't a bad song on it. And what I like the most about the album is it's variety. There's a bit of everything on here. There's some absolute mosh ragers. There's slower, more heartfelt, "grab a mate and wipe your single tear on their shirt" kind of songs. There are commercial radio friendly bangers. And the way they're spaced out allows the album to be constantly refreshing, as the pace is always changing. This album is a definitive statement; Stick To Your Guns are just as strong as ever, and they aren't going anywhere soon.

If you're able to go and see them on their upcoming UK tour, I highly recommend doing so. I've seen them before, and to say they pack a punch is a huge understatement. To hammer my point through, I was never that hot on them until I saw them live, and all of a sudden the music made sense and I fell in love with them. They are something else. Plus the bill is incredible, as they're bringing Being As An Ocean, Silent Planet and First Blood along for the ride. I'll be at the Birmingham show with my better half, who is essentially an emo kid that enjoys a good breakdown from time to time. Come and join the party and enjoy good breakdowns with us.

D.S

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Comeback Kid - Outsider

Comeback Kid are one of the most important bands in their genre to have come out of Canada. Alongside Alexisonfire, Cancer Bats, Silverstein to name a few, Comeback Kid are a band who have become both masters and pioneers of the punk/hardcore scene, and have paved the way and inspired countless bands that have followed them. Or so I'm told. Personally, I haven't listened to them much at all. I've always seen so much hype around them, and I've seen people that are into them REALLY praise the band. I, for some reason, just never really got round to giving them a spin. So I thought it was about time I paid them some attention. What better time to do it than for their newest release?

I sort of knew what to expect. Sort of. The only other album I'd listened to was Wake The Dead which came out 12 years ago. Aggressive, fast, heavy in places, polished hardcore. Bands can change a lot in that amount of time, but I assumed that they wouldn't have changed the formula too much, just honed in on what they were good at and made it better. And that, from my perspective, is exactly what they've done. Right from the opening title track "Outsider", they begin to warm you up for what's to come. A punky, tasteful and gradual build, transitioning into a fast paced and snare driven verse with Andrew Neufield (vocals) snarling his vocals right in your face, followed by an anger filled fist bumping chorus. The vocals are an enormous improvement on what I'd previously heard, full of venom and anger, expertly delivered. The second song "Surrender Control" followed suit, and it blew me away. An absolute powerhouse of a track. The verse riff is a meaty slice of hardcore, impossible not to bang your head to, and it explodes into a huge chorus complete with gang chants and an immediately memorable hook. Two tracks in, and I'm already excited for the rest of the album. The third track, though, presented me with an unexpected surprise.

The first of the guest spots was on this track, the first single that was streamed, titled "Absolute". And the guest vocals came from the legend that is Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad, The Devin Townsend Project, general musical genius). A guest spot that I didn't expect to hear on a hardcore record at all, but a welcome one. And it fits. It fits so well. The track out of nowhere gets slow and sludgy, and Devin's vocals creep in alongside Neufields. It adds an eerie feel to the track, and completely adds to the overall impact. All of the tracks that follow are all unique and stand out in their own way, but all sound like they belong together on this album. The fast paced hardcore riffing and soaring choruses of "Somewhere Somehow", the whirlwind of thrash on "Livid, I'm Prime", the Gojira esque groove and all out mosh fest that is "I'll Be That". Album closer "Moment In Time" is a musical journey through everything you've just listened to, starting off gentle and soothing you into thinking it's a ballad. That is, until it all of a sudden explodes into blistering guitar tones, pounding drums and vicious vocals, before slowing right back down again to give you a bit of recovery time. But it leaves you hungry for more. It makes you want to listen again. Outsider explores every corner of the genre and isn't afraid to draw inspiration from outside of it, and weaves it all together to create an absolute belter of an album.

If you haven't listened to Comeback Kid before, this is the perfect album to start with. It has everything. If you're a hardcore fan, you'll love it. If you're a punk fan, you'll love it. If you're a metal fan, you'll love it. If Stick To Your Guns, A Day To Remember and Hatebreed somehow managed to have a baby, Comeback Kid would be that baby. Although I think in some of those cases Comeback Kid actually came first, so that doesn't really work. But you get what I mean.

I've been more impressed by this album than I thought I was going to be, and it's been a welcome surprise. It's without doubt going to be regularly listened to over the course of the month. The album came out on September 8th (at time of post, yesterday), and you can find it on iTunes, Spotify, Deezer and everywhere else you can think of. You can probably grab it in stores like HMV too if you want to cop a physical copy. 

Also, if they play anywhere near you, grab a ticket.

I'll see you in the pit.

Maybe.

I'm getting on a bit and I'm a lot more afraid of flailing limbs than I used to be.

Maybe just see you at the bar. If you buy a drink.

I guess you might not need to if you don't get thirsty.

Erm.

I'll just see you there I guess.

D.S

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